4 Steps to a Dry Basement

Northwest Iowa has been blessed with plenty of rain the past few days. Unfortunately, all that moisture has led to some flooded basements including part of the lower level of our showroom.

We know that we’re all in this together and we want to make ourselves a resource to you during this time.

Follow this check list after experiencing flooding: 

1. Make sure your sump pump is working

A sump pump is the first step in getting the water out of your basement. If your sump pump stopped working, restoring it will be imperative to the process of removing water and drying out your basement.  Consider keeping an extra sump pump on hand—we’ve heard plenty of stories of people who’ve been running two pumps to keep the water out.

2. Check your flooring

The next steps will be different depending on the type of flooring you have:

In some cases, Carpet can be salvaged even if it is completely saturated. Remove it and store it until it is completely dried and can be laid again. If the carpet pad is saturated it will retain moisture and will need to be disposed of and replaced. 

If wood or laminate floors experience any moisture they will most likely need to be replaced.

If vinyl floors are glued down they can likely be salvaged when dried with fans.

Ceramic floors are the best option for flood prone areas and can be easily dried with towels and fans.

3. Dry the area

With a working sump pump and flooring taken care of, it is time to hand dry. Using a shop vac, towels and squeegees, do your best to get any excess water out of your basement. 

4. Use fans and dehumidifiers 

Set up fans and dehumidifiers to continue the drying process until all excess moisture is out of the area.   This will also help remove the moisture from baseboards and drywall. 

If you’ve taken these steps and you are still having issues, it may be time to replace your floors.  At Vander Berg Furniture & Flooring, we’re committed to providing you disaster relief assistance and are offering a disaster discount. We’ll pay a visit to your house and work with you to find the best solution for your situation.  Call 712-722-3286 today and ask for Loren or Jeff for additional assistance.